Monday, January 08, 2007

3351 Monday Memories--Grandmother's Hymnal

One of the books I inherited that means a lot to me is my maternal grandmother's hymnal. Here is what we librarians call the bibliographical information and a description of it. I have a 115 page list of my grandparents books which I used for various publications I wrote when I was working. (Aren't you pleased I'm not listing them all?).

The word "Brethren" refers to "Church of the Brethren" an Anabaptist group, although at the time this title was printed, they just referred to themselves as "Brethren." The official term was German Baptist Brethren at that time. My family spoke German for about the first 100 years they were in this country (giving it up around the 1820s) and the Brethren printed the first European language Bible in the colonies--but it was in German, not English.

I used a wonderful program called "Notebook" to make this list, which I no longer have or know how to use (lots of DOS type commands), and could sort by author, title, date, publisher, subject or keyword. Any time you complain about the hymns your church is using--just take a look at what your denomination was singing 100 years ago. It's an eye-opener.

Brethren's Tune and Hymn Book: Being a Compilation of Sacred Music Adapted to All the Psalms, Hymns, and
Spiritual Songs in the Brethren's Hymn Book. Carefully revised, rearranged and otherwise improved. Mt. Morris, IL: The Brethren's Publishing House, 1894. no. 11

Subject: Brethren--Hymnbooks

Notes: Script: "Mary L. George, Ashton, Illinois."
This is a reprint of the 1879 "The Brethren's Hymnbook"
edited by J.C. Ewing, the first hymnbook with four-part
harmony, copyright by Quinter and Brumbaugh Brothers.
James Quinter selected songs from earlier editions.
Today we would recognize few of the hymns in this book.
The Brethren's Publishing House was privately owned.
In 1897 all rights and titles were turned over to the
Church's General Missionary and Tract Committee and it
moved to Elgin. When the Kable Brothers started their
printing venture in Mt. Morris, they used the printing
plant. ("Brethren Press," Brethren Encyclopedia, Vol.
1:193)




My visitors and those I'll visit this week are:
Anna, Becki, Chelle, Chelle Y., Cozy Reader, Debbie, Friday's Child, Gracey, Irish Church Lady, Janene, Janene in Ohio, Jen, Katia, Lady Bug, Lazy Daisy, Ma, Mrs. Lifecruiser, Melli, Michelle, Paul, Susan, Viamarie.

10 comments:

Susan said...

Sorry, I haven't been blogging much and don't have any Monday Memories this week.

I love old hymnals. My mom and I were looking through the ones we have and couldn't find, "Great is Thy Faithfulness". Obviously, our collection needs development!!!
(Mine consists of the "red" LUtheran hymnal, the green LBW, and an "Army/Navy" hymnal.)

I do have a book that was my maternal grandmother's. (If I run down to get the bib. info., I'll get waylaid by kids and laundry.) My mother gave her mother a Bible Concordance when she worked at the Ashland College publishing company as a proofreader and now I have it.

Sorry this is lacking in good bib. references, but if I run down to get them, I'll get caught in a web of kids and laundry!

Anonymous said...

What a treasure! I love old familty heirlooms.

Anonymous said...

Family heirlooms like the hymnal are such wonderful items to be passed on from generation to generation. My husband someday will be inheriting an old family Bible from 1901. It's absolutely gorgeous and such a great way to carry on our family's name.

Melli said...

Ohhhhh I LOVE most of the old hymns from ... well... at least from when I was a kid! LOL! (that's pretty OLD!) I don't recall ever complaining about the hymns we've sung at church though... but... it's been awhile since I've been. I'm going back! I hope it's not ALL different!

Jane said...

I love old books. I have some of my great grandfather's books. He was a Baptist minister. I also have many old hymn books. I love the old hymns. The words are so beautiful.

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...

Old books are nice to go back to and read all over again. It makes you see the difference of then and now. That was an informative post. Thanks for sharing and thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous said...

We have an old Book Of Psalms date 1896 from my hubby's mother. It belonged to his grandfather who received it from his grandmother and two aunts. We love looking at the differences in then and now!

How does one care for such old books? I keep this one covered and don't touch it much!

Anonymous said...

That is just awesome! What a great keepsake for you to have. When I go back to Hawai'i, I am going to check to see where I can pick up a hawai'ian hymnal. The Church that I used to go to in Hilo on the Big Island we had a hymnal all in the hawai'ian language. The same songs that you find in english hymnals but in our native tongue. You just hand on to your Grandma book, it's special. :)

Thanks for stopping by.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a priceless treasure.

Anonymous said...

I have a bunch of old hymnals, too. They are wonderful resources.